Spiritual PerfeClion. Now rhough the deduction fpecified, be according to the rruc rule of Rariocioariont yet there are fo~e that account it a Oavcry to fix ttcir belief upon any Authority, but will be free 111 believing as they are in their acttons. I will therefore briefly pro. due~ fame proofs of the Tr~th. of Chriftian Religion , that carry an unconrroulab!e Evidence in them: The abohfhtng Idolatry in the Pagan World, in the time foretold by the Prophets, is a palpable proof tint Chrilhan R eligion was from the uue _God. The Inn:ruments of th is great Work,, were a few Fiiliermen, that had neither Lea_rning, nor Arms, nor Trca£Ure~: Paucncc ...was their Strength? P?verty their Choice, Difgracc. their Honour: that wtthout .any force , but ?f lllum t~auon and Perfwafion~ of Humility and Chanty, and cndunng the malt ternble Su~enngs, they fhJuld vanquifh the l)ridc of Philofophers, t!1e Tyraonou~ power .of Pnnces, the Rebellious. C?P~ pofition of Mens Carnal Lulls, ts not Concelva~le Without rhe ~ffil1ance of Divwe Strength that convinc'd che moll obllinare Enem1es tbat the Dotl:nne was Divine, by the Mi;acles done in Confirmation of ic. BellJes , that ·which the wife Men in all Ages were fearching for, that is, t he perfeClion of the Law of Nature, (at 6dl: engraven in the Hearts of Men by the Author of Jt ) but m vam: for although Pht!ofophy affords fome notices of Good and Evil, fuffi oient to check many notorious Vices, yet 'tis not £Ufficicnr m direCt M en in their univerfa l Duty cowards God, others, and them~ felves: but the Gofpel is an intlruEtive Light of our full D'uty: it [peaks to the Heart, and changes its Thoughts and Affeaions, and reforms the Life according to the pure and perfett Rule reveal'd in it. Now could an Impo!lure produce fuch a pcrfecrion of Verme in the wicked World? The true mterprecarion of the Moral Law in the Go{: pel is from God alone. Vox hom~n~m non fon:at. Could fuch a change be made without vifi blc Miracles ? If the C.hnthan ReligiOn was plal.lted and propagated without the Confirmation of Miracles , 1t were a tranfcendent M trade. And though we {il.\V not the Miracles done by the Apo(lies, yer we fee the permanent effec:ts of th tm, in the belief and Lives of True Chri!lians. Infidels arc apt to rep ly, if they f•w Miracles performed to alfure them of the Divinity of the Chrillian Religion, they would bdie ~· c it. 'Tis a vain pretence that Men would fubmir to che power·of God declar'd by Miracles, who deny his Authority made known in that eminent degree of Evidence in his Word. Abraham anfwer'd the Rich Man, who deftr'd a Melfenger from the Dead might be li:nt to Convert his Brethren, T/;ey have Mofes and the Prophets, and if they hear not them, they would not be per/waded thou~h one rofe from the dead. 'i79 In !hort, thofe who refill fo !lrong a Light as fhines in the Scripture, the delufioo of their Mind is from their depraved Hearts. Speculative Truths obtain the prefent and eafie Affent of the Mind ; but Truths direEtive of PraEtifc, if oppoftre to Mens Lulls, though their Evidence be unexceptionable, yet the carnal Mind is very averfe from receiving them. . Thi~ ac~oum is given of the Phari{eo Infidelity, they repmted Ma. : 1 , 1 , not that they might belteve m hrm. When the Will is ingag'd in the love of Sin, and Rebels againl1 the Sancrity and Severity of the Gofpel Commands, 'tis congruous to rejeEt it. the corrupt Alfettions hinder the due applic1tion of the Mind to confider the motives of Credibility, and !lain the Mind that it does not fincerely judge of them. T hough Infidels pretend to be the only difcourfing W its of the Age, to have the Oracles of Realon in their Brealls, and dcfp•fe others as Captives of a blind Belief, yet their Folly is palpable and penal , for having provoked God by their Infidelity they are left to the power of their Lulls, and of the Tempter, and fink deepe; into darknefs, and become more hardned and prcfumptuous. Thofe who Embark ~~i!~ thefe di!lracted Pilots in fuch dangerous Seas, have a mind to pcrifh for 2. Hypocrifte is a Spiritual Pollution. In its Theological Confideration it _imp:ies a Counterfei ting Religion and Venue: an affettarion of the Name join'd with a difalfection to the Thing. The having a form of Godline[s, with denying the po"'tr of it. Accordingly, 1. Every Titular Cbrillian, who profelfes Subjection to Chri!l, and lives in Habitual Difobedieoce to his Commands, is an Hypocrite. The aCtions are the incarnate ilfues of the Heart wherein they are form'd, and the cleare!l difcovery of ir. A Re· belh.ous Courf~ of s.in, decl.a res. a ~erfon to :be an Infidel, not\~ith!l:an di ng his owning Chr~ll to be our Kmg : HIS Ltfe ts a conunual Lye: He va1nly prefumei tbat God ts Ius Father,. when his Actions d~clare him to be a Child of the Devil. Johns., , ,., 2. Hypocn(ic m a ftnaer fenfe ts, when Men prefume their fpiritual condition to be good, upon fal(e grounds. 'Tis ob[ervable, no man !s a Hypocrite to himfCif out of chotce; He does not deliberately deceive himfelf: But one may be a Hypocrite
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